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In 2011 every sixth child in Estonia lived in relative poverty and every 11th, in absolute poverty or deep material deprivation, according to data of Statistics Estonia.
Every sixth child in Estonia lives in relative poverty - statistics
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In 2011, 41,700 children or 17 percent of all children aged 18 and below lived in relative poverty, Statistics Estonia analyst Tiiu-Liisa Laes said in a post on the agency blog. Compared with year 2007, there was no significant change in the rate of children's relative poverty, but in comparison with 2010 the rate dropped by two percentage points.
Relative poverty is a measure of income inequality. A relatively poor child is one that lives in a relatively poor family.
Absolute poverty is another way to measure children's welfare. Absolute poverty is defined as existence of minimal resources to afford basic human needs. In 2011, 23,000 children or nearly 9.5 percent of all children aged 18 and below were seen living in absolute poverty.
The rate of children living in absolute poverty rose gradually from 6 percent to 11 percent between 2007 and 2010. In 2011 the level of poverty endangering children's welfare declined by two percentage points like that of relative poverty. Nonetheless, it remained above the 2007 level.
A third measure of children's welfare is material deprivation, i.e. the inability of a family to afford proper housing and consumption goods and satisfy basic needs owing to shortage of disposable income. In 2011, 22,200 children, 9 percent of all children aged 18 and below, lived in severe material deprivation. The level of children's deep material deprivation in Estonia has generally been lower than that of absolute poverty. The rate of severely deprived children too increased in 2007-2010 (from 4 percent to 11 percent), and declined in 2011 without however falling to the pre-crisis level.
On the whole, the situation of children as measured by poverty indicators improved in 2011, but much still remains to be done to protect children. Both absolute poverty and severe material deprivation levels were higher among children than among the whole population in 2011.